Gunfight sends man to hospital with injury

Witnesses say 3 people fired guns at each other at 7-Eleven lot

ORLANDO – A man was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after he was shot in the ankle during a gunfight in the 7-Eleven parking lot at 4355 Silver Star Road, according to police.

Orlando Police tell News 6 it all started when a passenger waiting at a gas pump tried to rob another man using a nearby pump. The two began shooting at one another, and a third man who was inside the convenience store also started shooting when he returned outside.

One vehicle fled the area, eluded police and was stopped by police near Willow Bend and Silver Star Roads without incident, according to police.

One innocent person parked at the site was injured by broken glass when a bullet hit his windshield, police said.

"I was up here getting gas, pumping up my tire and three guys were at the gas pump and started shooting, 27-year-old Tavaris Davis said. "I ducked, my windshield got hit and then I took off running."

Davis, who has a cut on his nose from the broken glass, ran from the area of the shooting into Willow Bend in an attempt to flee to a safe area, but was robbed by three different unknown in a black BMW, police said. Orlando Police Department units conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle matching its description in the area of Silver Star Rd./Ashland Blvd. and all occupants were detained.

Police said two handguns were discovered inside the vehicle after a search of its interior.

Felonious charges are pending for the driver and occupants, according to authorities.

"I'm just glad they got caught," Davis said. "Today was a bad day but it will get better."

Police said the shooting happened at approximately 3:03 p.m.

Neighbors told News 6 that they thought what they heard was festivities related to the Fourth of July holiday.

"I just thought it was fireworks," one neighbor said. "I was at the house and thought it was fireworks and I happened to walk up here to come to the store and saw the store was roped off."

The man shot does not want to press charges and is not cooperative, police said.

There are multiple people detained and the incident is under active investigation.

Police said no officers were injured during the incident, and the roadway has reopened after being briefly shut down.

Police continue to search for the man who started it all and tried to rob another driver, and then fled the area. It does not appear either of the two people detained who were shooting at each other will face any charges since officers say both men had concealed carry permits.

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About the Authors:

It has been an absolute pleasure for Clay LePard living and working in Orlando since he joined News 6 in July 2017.
Previously, Clay worked at WNEP TV in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where he brought viewers along to witness everything from unprecedented access to the Tobyhanna Army Depot to an interview with convicted double-murderer Hugo Selenski.